SOUTH Essex looks set to be bolstered by thousands of new homes over the coming years with tower blocks springing up across the county.

Councils are preparing to deliver a multitude of schemes to meet the Government’s ambitious housebuilding targets.

In Southend, a £575 million regeneration of Queensway will see 1,760 homes built alonsige 8,300 square metres of public space.

Southend Council and Swan Housing are behind the ambitious, ten-year project, involving the demolition Quantock, Chiltern, Malvern and Pennine tower blocks and the residential maisonettes fronting Sutton Road.

Southend United Football Club’s Roots Hall stadium may be replaced by more than 500 flats as part of proposals for a new stadium and training facility.

In Basildon, three tower blocks up to 13-storeys with 492 flats are set to be built near Market Square after the planning inspector overruled the council.

These blocks may be followed by another 495 flats in 23-storey blocks in Tower Square, pending a second panning inquiry, and thousands more are planned for the town centre.

In Rochford, plans have been drawn up for a huge development of 665 new homes, which would initially see 223 homes built at the site off Ashingdon Road.

While in Canvey, Persimmon has opened consultation on 300 new homes east of Canvey Road.